


Cherries

by NancyBrown



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Torchwood
Genre: Female Friendship, Gen, Shared History, post-Dead Man Walking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-05
Updated: 2015-02-05
Packaged: 2018-03-10 13:51:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3292751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NancyBrown/pseuds/NancyBrown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tosh and Martha have a talk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cherries

**Author's Note:**

> Written for halfamoon 2015.

When Toshiko glanced up from her keyboard, a cherry danish had magically appeared on her desk. She frowned, then looked up. Martha beamed at her, clutching the bag bearing the logo of the bakery where Tosh bought herself the occasional treat. She hid her quiet shudder.

"Oh. Um. Thank you." She didn't reach out for the pastry. "That was very thoughtful of you," she added, feeling more was no doubt due.

"You're welcome." Martha pulled up a chair, and oh no! She sat down next to Toshiko's seat. She smiled again. "I heard it was your favourite."

Tosh managed a weak smile of her own. "Good to know my breakfast habits are the subject of conversation."

"Your boss is a terrible gossip." Her eyes stayed on Tosh's, and suddenly, she knew. She'd been avoiding Martha, not obviously but enough for her own sanity, ever since she'd come to Cardiff. What with their sudden need for her in the Pharm, and everything with Owen, Martha had been just out of Toshiko's orbit for most of her visit. And now she was here, sitting at Tosh's desk, bearing food and a warm smile and the reminder that certain people couldn't keep their mouths closed.

"Yes," she said, and turned back to her work. Maybe Dr. Jones would leave, and everything would be all right.

"You don't like me," Martha said in a low voice. She didn't sound angry, or sad, simply stating the fact between them.

Tosh sat back, realising no amount of pretending to work would get her out of this. "I don't dislike you. I think you're very nice, and good at your job. We can always use more of both."

"It's because I'm here from UNIT, isn't it?"

At the word, at the memories, Tosh sucked in her breath. She stared at Martha, who shrugged and said, "Gossip. I said. And I had to read everyone's files."

"All of our deep, dark secrets." Though we're not allowed to know any of yours, she thought. Not how she and Jack knew each other, not why a medical student was plucked from school, given her degree, and put to work with the organisation which would have gladly locked Toshiko away for the rest of her life. Martha Jones was a cipher who knew their mysteries while giving up none of her own, and spying for eyes that hated them, hated Tosh. Was it any wonder why Toshiko couldn't let her guard down?

She was intelligent, though, and she clearly read these thoughts pass over Tosh's eyes. "I'm not your enemy, Toshiko. I'm not here to spy, and I sure as hell am not here to take you back." She reached out, but didn't quite touch Tosh. Instead, she pushed the plate with the danish a little closer. "I'd never do that. They could never make me."

"You know what I did," Tosh said in a hushed voice, her eyes cast over to see where her colleagues were. Did they know? Jack had the records, but had he shared with them as well?

Martha nodded. "Honestly, if I had five quid for every person I've met who's endangered the world for the life of someone they cared about, I'd be able to buy dinner for your whole team for a month."

"Have you?" The question was out before she could pull it back.

Martha's smile turned sad. "Let's just say, I've been in the position where I had to choose. It was the hardest thing I've ever done." She didn't say that she'd given the world for someone, but again, she hadn't said she didn't.

"Who was it?"

"My mum. My dad. My sister. A few others." Her eyes snaked over to Jack's closed door and back. "No-one ought to be in the position where they have to make that decision. I'm sorry you were, and I'm sorry they didn't understand." She tilted her head. "Do you see your mum often?"

"I wasn't supposed to, but sometimes." She remembered the last family get-together, with cousins and friends surrounding her, never knowing the price she paid. And that was her reward for the payment, that they never would. "What about you?"

"I see them enough." Her face was bright, and she probably wasn't lying. "I don't expect us to be best friends, but I just wanted you to know that I'm not your enemy. I'm not here to take anything from you, not your friends, not your freedom. I'm here with sugar, and an ear if you want one."

"Thank you," Tosh said, and yes, it was a bit of a dismissal, but the worry was too high in her mind to relax just yet, no matter how kind her words were.

"All right," Martha said, standing. "You're welcome. I'll see you later." She headed off towards the med bay, setting the bag of pastries within easy reach of everyone, hidden goodies waiting for discovery.

When she was out of sight, Toshiko pulled the paper plate closer. Cherry, for certain, her absolute favourite, and a kindness she had not expected. Thoughtfully, she picked up the plate, and brought the danish to her mouth. Sugar and syrup filled her mouth, and the taste of childhood.

She couldn't go home, not really, not for more than an hour or three now and then. But she could remember, and she could remember why she'd risked everything for her mother. She knew Martha hadn't come from UNIT to forgive her, but instead, she'd offered Tosh a rarer chance: the reminder to forgive herself.

"Thank you," she said again, too softly to be heard.

***  
The End  
***


End file.
